Question: What’s the connection between global warming and extreme weather?

Answer: Rising greenhouse gases interfere with the radiant cooling of the earth, causing excess heat energy to build up in the atmosphere and the oceans. All weather is driven by energy. With more energy building up in the system, the normal ups and downs of weather become supercharged with more heat and moisture. [1]

That leads to more extreme weather. While the precise timing and location cannot be predicted far in advance, hurricanes, droughts, heat waves, massive downpours, and even extreme snowfall in some areas are becoming more frequent and more severe. [2,3] Adding to this disruption is the loss of Arctic sea ice and ice sheets, which may be changing the large-scale patterns of jet streams that govern weather all over the globe. [4,5] These Arctic changes may also change ocean currents that in turn affect our weather. [6]

Climate-induced supercharging of weather is not just an academic topic, but one that impacts our economy. In 2017, extreme weather events cost the U.S. a jaw-dropping $306 billion. [7] Climate change is known to contribute to that cost. [8,9] The size of that contribution is still far from being pinned down, but judging from discussions inside the insurance industry, [10] it’s safe to say it’s not zero.